First-ranking lessons

[Ankh]

As I understand the above piece, the disciplines of personality, knowledge of the self, strengthening of the will, and even service to others and meditation are *not* the first-ranking lessons; they are the second-ranking lessons. The first-ranking lessons are these central thoughts, as Ra called them:

"Let us remember that we are all one. This is the great learning/teaching. In this unity lies love. This is a great learn/teaching. In this unity lies light. This is the fundamental teaching of all planes of existence in materialization. Unity, love, light, and joy; this is the heart of evolution of the spirit."

do you think that this is somehow pointing to the intrinsic motivation?

that is, the intrinsic motivation is like the setting of the compass, to decide what direction one intends to go (a choice made in 3rd density), and then the rest proceeds from there - as technique etc?

and much like the setting of the compass doesn't complete your journey (the journey might be quite distant, with many obstacles), once one has experienced enough to make a considered evaluation that 'love, light, unity, and joy' is what you are after, and you set your mind to it, then you find ways of 'actualising' it, making it real, and able to be lived and experienced more and more.

But without that initial setting of direction, it doesn't matter how much 'practice' you do, or how many mantras you recite, it is not fulfilling or supporting a deep desire for oneness.

Yeah, I basically agree with you, but still, I thought, as Gary mentioned, that these two things would be more intertwined. For instance, imagine that I do seek unity daily and nightly, but then I stumble upon an intensive catalyst, and I just don't *want* to seek unity with this catalyst as it is completely unacceptable to me. In this instance, I would go into meditation and try to seek answers within. What happened? What is unacceptable? How can I move on on my chosen path? Instead of keep pushing to seek unity, as I understand myself well enough at this point, that I simply don't *want* this unity with this catalyst... Do you see what I mean? And that is how I have been working this far. Of course, after understanding the above piece, I wonder if my method was maybe not completely correct, and maybe one should give more time to these central thoughts instead? But either way, what I am trying to say, is that I didn't think of these techniques or thoughts in that particular order, but both you and Gary do make awesome points of that orientation or compass being there first, then start walking...

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I think that I am starting to understand what Ra meant by this light. They once said that there is no other material than light, and that in each particle of light there is intelligent infinity present. While we, in our dimension, when looking around, perhaps see different things, different people, and perhaps this way of viewing "all light" brings some sort of separation to the mind? While if you think that everything is light, and that light lies in unity, perhaps this will bring you to the desired orientation of method of seeking the One?

I'm still confused though that this teaching goes before meditation and service, cause it seems rather advanced to me. As I mentioned earlier, there are many people who probably attained both realization of the One or fourth density vibration, without this conscious understanding of the light. And yet, Ra says that understanding this is a fundamental teaching...

That is because you are WAY over thinking this quote in my opinion Ankh.

You are right, the understanding that all of creation, all of the "light", is the activity of the focus of unity called love in its free will is a substantially advanced teaching. That is why it is my earnest opinion that is not what Ra intended to convey.

They simply meant light in the sense of wisdom. There is wisdom, which is the light of inner illumination, in the central consideration that all is connected. And of course, there is love there too. Love is all about connection.

That central consideration is the rock of general truth, upon which the more specific *refinements* of service and meditation accentuate.

Ra often uses "wisdom" as a synonym for "light". Unity is a balance between compassion and wisdom. That is why the sixth density, which is the cycle of unity, is all about refining that balance.

I found this search enlightening in this regard Light and Wisdom

LOL!

Well, that is also an interesting interpretation of this piece. I have thought about this "light" being wisdom instead of the third distortion, but then... I don't know... It doesn't make sense either in some way. Does a being need to understand wisdom in order to be smoothly activated? Is not love alone enough? And is wisdom a fundamental teaching? I don't know, anagogy, hence all these rhetorical questions...